LOOOOOVE technology.

Really.

Was typing a nice long blog, actually about TEACHING (I know, you're all thinking "Wait, she teaches? I didn't realize.") when yes, ok, it was my fault, but little did I know that merely by adjusting the way the frames were set on this computer, would I lose everything I'd typed....

Anyway, let me see if I can go back to what I was writing about.

Yes, I remember now. I was discussing a project my AP Psych students had been doing. We finished our unit on Learning (you know, Pavlov, dogs, drool?), and I gave them a project where they had to condition somebody or something (little brothers, animals) to complete some sort of behavior. The assignment is not original - I am sure every Psych teacher in the country does it, but it's quite a cool one. I think the students really enjoy doing it too. It's really interesting what they decide to try to do. One student conditioned her dog to be afraid of the dishwasher by making a loud noise whenever he went near it (apparently the dog likes their dishwasher), one student conditioned his dog to walk all the way around in a circle at a command from him (don't dogs do that anyway?)...interesting stuff. Some students conditioned their siblings to be quiet, for which I'm quite sure many parents are grateful.

What's interesting is that the students all had some really good analysis about why the conditioning did or did not work. It's really amazing to watch these AP kids work - those that are truly AP can produce some astonishing work.

Of course, then there are the students who tell me things (as one did yesterday afternoon) such as: "I think I'm going to start taking notes."

WHAT A CONCEPT!!!